When an owner has made the decision to sell their home, just as they will go through the procedures of shopping for a new home, many will shop for a real estate company to market their home.

Most of us, when we shop, look to buy an item at the lowest price. In doing so, we should know what we are buying with no hidden costs included.

The same principle applies when a home owner hires a real estate professional. Unfortunately, many home sellers are lured into a contract for a low commission fee, not realizing what services they will or will not receive for their money.

"My real estate experience has proven to me that sellers prefer a full service agent versus a ghost agent," say Linda Buckley, a local Realtor. "Full services means just what it says-an agent who is available to show and market your home 24-7." An agent who will return your phone calls promptly and keep you updated on the status of your listing.

According to Buckley, full service also entails in-depth advertising, mailings, open houses, and extensive internet advertising. Home sellers also tend to prefer agents that stay in touch with them. In such cases, the agent will either call them with the feedback from showings or just to let the home seller know that there has been no activity for the past week.

Buckley suggests that home sellers, in some instances, will rarely or never hear from their discount brokers. She advises home sellers to ask the discount agents what percentage of the commission they are going to offer a co-broke.

"If this commission is lower that the going rate, I've found that many times a broker will not ever show that property if the agent is only offering a small fee," says Buckley. Thus, the seller's home could stay on the market for a longer period of time.

According to the Baystate Multiple Listing Service, approximately 57% of the single family home sales in the greater Worcester area in 1996 were generated by a co-broker.

"Sellers make the final choice," says Buckley. Before you select an agent, you might want to ask yourself...Do you want to try to save money by hiring a discount broker and risk the chance of having your house sit on the market for several months and maybe not sell at all?? Or, do you want to hire a full service agent who will be there for you every step of the selling process, saving you time and money in the long run??